Aduragbemi Omiyale
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The federal government has asked Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a criminal summons on an alleged Ponzi scheme operator, Mr Michael Ukiye Diongoli, and his two companies, UK Dion Group and UK Dion Investment Limited, all of 21 Buhari Street, Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja.
The prosecuting team filed this application on Tuesday following the failure of the defendants to appear before the court.
They were accused of defrauding unsuspecting investors of their funds to the tune of N3.6 billion.
At the court, a representative of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Moshood Adeyemi, requested the summons while begging the judge to fix a new date for the commencement of the trial.
“The defendants were duly served the court processes since March 31, 2023; I do not know why they have failed to turn up in court today.
“I hereby wish to apply for another date for the arraignment and also apply for a criminal summon to ensure that the accused appears in court,” Mr Adeyemi said in his application.
In the two-count charge against the suspects, the prosecution team alleged that on or between the years 2021 and 2022, within the jurisdiction of the court, they committed a felony, to wit: conspired among themselves together with their staff to do an illegal act, diversion of investment funds to the tune of over N3.6 billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others.
It was said that the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, laws of the Federation, 2004.
“That you, Michael Ukiye Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK –Dion Investment Limited, all of No. 21 Buhari Street Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High and together with your other staff, did commit a felony to wit: diverted investment funds to the tune of over N3.6 billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383(2) F of Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(7) of the same Act,” a charge read.
When Justice Abubakar sought to know why the matter was brought to Abuja and not Lagos, the location of the defendants, the prosecutor said most of the victims of the crime were residents in Abuja and its environs.
